owe

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
owe/əʊ/

▶verb

• 1 have an obligation to pay (money or goods) to (someone) in return for something received.

• 2 be under a moral obligation to show (gratitude, respect, etc.) or to offer (an explanation) to (someone).

• 3 (owe something to) have something because of.

– origin OE āgan ‘own, have it as an obligation’, of Gmc origin; cf. ought1.